You can choose how you want to approach lockdown. Will you let it become Groundhog Day, slowly chipping away at your sanity? Or will you use your spare time to prosper? We’ve identified six easy household chores for you to complete to increase the liveability and comfort of your home. They shouldn’t take more than a few hours each, and they will definitely keep you free from boredom.
- Audit your cleaning products
First and foremost, you want to ensure that you are fully equipped to handle anything under the sun. Take note of the cleaning products you have available, and how much you have of each. Stock up on things like glass cleaner, multi-purpose surface cleaner, and heavy-duty kitchen cleaning products. You’re going to need them!
- Clean your windows
A brighter outlook can make your isolation much more bearable. Literally. By cleaning your windows, you can reinvigorate your view of the world outside your gilded cage. Even just looking at trees can drastically improve our physical and mental health. You can do a pretty decent DIY job of cleaning your windows inside and out by following these steps:
- Brush the window down to remove surface dirt and cobwebs
- Wash the window with water, detergent, and a microbial cloth
- Using a squeegee, remove all of the remaining moisture
- Give the window a quick wipe over with a clean cloth
For those hard to reach places, like second storeys and skylights, it may be worth booking a professional window cleaning service.
- Out with the old
Get ready to declutter, spring clean, and minimise. If you’ve spent a considerable amount of uninterrupted time at home, you might have clutter blindness. The longer we live in a place, the more stuff we accumulate. Take some time out of your work-from-home schedule to identify what you can get rid of. Old furniture, worn clothes, broken electronics — these are all things that can be recycled in Isolation 2.0.
- Kitchen overhaul
If you’re currently self-isolating, you probably haven’t eaten out in a while. Fortunately, with a bit of time and logistical know-how, you can turn your kitchen into a well-oiled culinary machine. Here are household chores for you and some quick tips on reorganising and cleaning your kitchen:
- Throw out all the old and expired pantry and fridge items
- Clean the pantry, cupboards, drawers, and shelving
- Order some jars to store cooking staples like flour and pasta
- Go on a grime spree and attack your oven and stovetop with chemicals
- Freshen up the bedroom
Ideally, you shouldn’t be spending too much time in bed in isolation. Still, it pays to have a comfortable, safe space that is all yours. Consider washing or replacing all pillows, sheets, mattress protectors, and duvets. Dust accumulates, so vacuum under the bed and address all ceiling cobwebs and filthy skirting boards. Finally, apart from these household chores, you need to practice some self-care and invest in some candles.
- Get to the garden
Your backyard, garden, or courtyard might be the only tangible connection you have to the natural world outside your four walls. Make it somewhere you want to spend time every single day. Here are some easy garden maintenance tips:
- Start by weeding out all garden beds and trimming back branches
- Plant something new, even if it’s a small succulent
- Encourage local wildlife by planting fruit trees or adding a birdbath
- Create a vertical herb and vegetable garden to improve your cooking while saving space
Isolation is tough. But you can make it easier on yourself. Identify what you want to change about your living situation, and put it into practice. With a little attention and work, we’ll all get through thuis.
